Knitting machine



Feb. 18, 1930. w. w. BuRsoN KNITTING MACHINE Filed May 25. 1925 4Sheets-Sheet 1 n j .wN A M W |.\N j M lm QN w Q u M @a mw y NN. Q v j 4N\ m 0 11.1. y W f//M u n KM: MN Q 1 l l o Q w, V Nm. k NN o OJI ,0... uo .r o Y wh n Feb. 18, 1930. w. w. BuRsroN KNITTING y MACHINE Filed nayz5. 1925 4 sham-snm` 2 Feb. 18, 1930. w, w, BURsoN 1,747,464

Feb. 18, 1930. Y w. w. BuRsoN KNITTING MACHINE Filed ay 25. 1925 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Feb. 18, 1930 UNITED STAT maar KNITTrNGApplication vfiled May 25,

This invention relates in general to knitting machines, and has morevparticular reference to knitting machines of the flat bed type toprovide a knitting machine having a needle operating cam or a knittingelement which actuates the needles but once during a reciprocation andprovides knitting movement at a desired instant. In devices of thischaracter provided heretofore, it has been the common practiceto providea single cam having` a portion at each end adapted to bring the needlesdown to knitting position and, thus in L) passing across the bed ineither direction, the needles are first retracted to knitting position.by the cam without purpose, then raised to yarn receiving position, andagain retracted n" to knit the yarn received. The r'st and unir"necessary retracting movement seriously affects the operation of themachine, for in retracting the needles having a loop of yarn formedthereover, the yarn which extends to form many other loops on eitherside, is given an undue strain and frequently breaks for this reason.This breakage occurs more frequently when attempts are made to knit afabric having a relatively fine texture, the neness of the weave beingdetermined by 3a L the size of the needles employed.

Another important object of the invention is to provide in a knittingmachine a needle actuating Cam having a minimum wearing surface andwhich will not disturb the loops previously knit except during the nextsucceeding knitting operation, thus substantially eliminating yarnbreakage and permitting the use of a finer or more delicate yarn inknitting. Y

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.y

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation having parts thereof broken away, of aknitting machine embodying my invention;

The principal object of the invention is in Fig. 2;

MACHINE 1925.v 'Serial No. 32,593.

Fig. 2 is a detailed plan view showing a portion of a cam slideembodying my invention; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the slide shown inFig. 2; j Y

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan of the slide shown 55 line 5 5 of Fig. 2;

.F ig. 6"s a section taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 3; Fig. 7is similar to Fig. 3 and shows a side elevation of the slide with partsin a different relative position; Y

. Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are fragmentary details illustratinochauffes inposition of parts of Fig. 5 is a section taken substantially on 2: .nthe cam-controllmg mechanism; and

Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail view of the cam-controlling mechanism. l

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown on thedrawings a knitting machine of the type and character of those shown inmy earlier U. S. Patents No. 944,011, issued December 21, 1909; i No.944,012, issued December 21, 1909; No.

996,059, issued J une 27, 1911; No. 1,025,182,

issued May 7, 1912; No.1,201,691, issued October 17, 1916, and No.1,531,272, issued March 31, 1925, to the B. ZD. Knitting Go.,

of Rockford, Illinois. rIhe frame 11 'provides a support for the variousmechanisms of the machine which include a power shaft 12 having a pulleyor other suitable power transmitting element 13 secured thereto andadapted to drive the machine, a needle bed 14, needle jacks 15y and apattern member 16 85 for controlling the needle jacks to determine theneedles that will knit upon the next succeeding reciprocation of a camslide '17, as will be later described. The pattern member 16 is mountedon a shaft 18 and is progres- 90 sively rotated by the gear 19 to varythe widt-h e of the -garment being knit, the gear 19 being in turndriven by suitable mechanism from the power shaft'12, and controlled bya control mechanism' 21. The cam slide 17 se- 95' cured to a cross-head22 and is reciprocated thereby. The cross-head 22 is'mounted'on guides23 and carries av pivoted lever 24, which is connected at 25 to a link26 having a bearing at 27 upon a bed plate 28 ofthe 109 l frame 11; alink 29l is secured to the lever 24 at 31 and to a gearA 32 by a crankpin 33. Rotation of the gear 32 through the crank in 33 causes the link29 to reciprocate, wiich Vin turn reciprocates the crosshead 22 in timedrelation with the pattern member 16 and the otherelements of themachine. All of the elements just described and the operation thereof,are described and shown in detail in my above-mentioned prior patents.

Atfthe forward end of thecainy slide 17,

edges 34 are lconfined k1in guideways rin the y needle bed and apivotplate 35 is secured rturn secured .i `V bya pivot pin 36 toa.bracketl 37, which isV in to the forward end of the slide by screws 38.A cam 41 (Fig. 4) and a pivot cam 42 are secured to the pivot plate 35and extend through an opening 43-in .the

slide 17 to engage the needle jacks. A spring V44 whichl is positionedin a housing 45 suitably secured tor'thepivot plate -35 extends throughythe pivot plate and has a lbearing' V- against the slide 17. Thisspring normally 'l tends to hold the pivot plate 35 in elevated`.position kor -to `hold-the cams 41 and 42sout yof jack engagingposition. The cams travel ai downthe i forV by a yfour-toothed wheel 46carriedby theV lcam slide 17 and located at. one side ofthe iasflpivotplate 35. This wheel is adapted to en- V.normally aboveareprojected into position to engage the the nibs of vthe jacks andviacks on an active knitting stroke by moving pivot plate against thespring 44.v This downward y movement is provided gagean end 47 of abracket 48 which is secured n `to the pivot plate 35 (Figs. 2, l3and 6.)'I he end 47 vextends o-ut into position tobede-l J pressed a toothofthe wheel 46 or to be elevated between 'the teeth pressure" of theVspring 44.

by the "upward A ratchet wheel V49is Vxed with the. toothed wheel 46 andis [adaptedforengagementwith pawls 78 se.- cured to the fra-me uponpassing thereover to move .the toothed Wheel into tliegposition shown,or either way from theposition shown f i preferably to the extent ofdegrees atV each movement.

The position lshown in. Fig. 3

' ofthe drawings is that in whichgthe cams 41 and42 are in jack-engagingposition and the'V movement ofthe wheel 46 through kan angle Y bf 45.degreesin either direction from theposition shown permits the pivotplate to rise andlifts they cams from jack engagingsposig l tion,' asshownin Fig. 7. A furthfermove-kv A."Iiien't'r'of 45degrees-ineitherdirection will bring Ythecams backintojack engagingposition. The fouretoothed wheel 46v and the yratchetv wheelf'49i are"rotatably mounted ona shoulder'stud' 51 which is'secured in a brack-vAet 52ffs`ecuredY to the slide 17 The ratchet wheel and-thefour-toothedwheel 46 are lro'-V s tatedby means ofapawll78, convenientlyl .mountedin the needle bed14 and arranged to engage and actuatethetoothed vwheel 49. A

pawl mounted at each end ofthe needle l bed on each side of the machineand in a position such that the toothed wheel 49 passes and engages thetip of each pawl once dur-V ing each reciprocation of the slide 17 InFigs. 8,9 and 10, the'operationl of the wheel and a pawl isillustrated,and it will be noted that each pawl is adapted Ato actuatethe ratchetV wheel when the latter is traveling in one direction only. LWhen the ratchet wheel is moving to theright, as indicated by the arrowin Fig.l 8, the pawl tip engages the lowerinost tooth of the wheel 49and moves the ratchet wheel moves toward the left, as

Ythe Wheel to the position rshown in Fig. 9, in which position the pawlpasses beneath the tooth anddisengages from the wheel. When indicated bythe arrow in'Fig. 10, the tip of v the pawl engages a tooth of theratchet wheel and is depressed against the needle bed so that theratchet wheel may pass freely and without being turned byy the' pawl. fThe ratchet wheel 49 is provided with eight teeth, so thatl each timethe ratchet wheel 49 'engages' aspawl, it is turned tliroughfan arc of45 degrecs. In other words, each time 'the slide reciprocates past apawl 78, the wheel 4 6 is moved thro-ugh an angle of 45 degrees and thecams are moved intoy or out of jack-en-V gaging position. Sncea pawl ismounted at Aeach end of the needle bed and isA arranged to engagethewheel 49 at Lthe beginning of a reciprocation of the slide 17,'itispossible to 1 i rin ove the wheel through 45 degreesat'the be-A fginningof eachreciprocation, and the'cams VIVmay be either .lowered into.j ack-'engaging po- .sition or lifted yout of jackfengaging position at'the beginning of yany knitting stroke of the cross Vhead of themachine. Ifit is de-v Sired to have the `cams 41and142 remain incani-engaging position Y duringv consecutive 'knitting strokes, the pawlorpawls'may be rotated out of wheel-engaging p osition by means of themechanism shown in Fig. 11 The pawls are mounted in position upon ai imshaft. 79, which extends through av part 81V of the drawings.

of the needle bed 14 and which carries a lever 82 at its oppositefend,.the shaft being rotatably mounted in the needle bedv and a spring 83being attached tothe needle bed Y. and arranged to engage an end of thelever 82` needle bed, and hasa cam following tooth portion 91 at oneend. `The opposite lend of the lever v88 engages the-lug v86 ofy theloted on'a rod 89, suitably mounted in the r sleeve 85. The toothportion 91 ofthe lever 88 is disposed to engage the periphery of a camdisc or wheel 92 and to be moved thereby about the rod 89. A spring 93is arranged between the lever 88 and a portion of the needle bed to urgethe tooth portion 91 into engagement with the cam disc. The cam disc orwheel 92 is attached to the end of the pattern member or wheel 16 and isthus arranged to actuate the lever 88 at various intervals during therotation of the pattern wheel. The periphery of the cam disc 92 isformed to provide toothed portions and recesses. l/Vhen the toothedportion of the lever 88 engages a toothed portion of the cam disk, thelever is rotated in a counterof suitable hardness and is or may bespaced away from the pivot plate by a spacing plate 53 of sufficientthickness to bring the cam 41 into engagement with the nibs of theneedle jacks when the pivot plate is in the lower position. The pivotcam 42 is pivoted to the plate by a shoulder screw 54` and is providedat each end with a cam portion 55. These cam portions are positioned oneaskew to the other (Fig. 5) to facilitatethe engagement of the jack nibsby one or the other there- Y of, which is determined by the position ofthe cam 42. The cam 42 is moved to present one l or the other ofthe camportions 55 into jack engaging position and is locked in this positionby a slide 56 having cam portions 57 and .f 58 engaging brackets 59 and61 secured to the cam 42 as best shown in Figs.v 2 and 3. The slide 56is attached by a link 62 to a bell crank 63 pivotally secured to abracket 64, which is in turn secured to the pivot plate 'bell crank 63is preferably of suficient length to provide space for a spring 66 and awasher 67 which are provided to impose friction on the bell crank 63which may be controlled by i? the screw 65. A pin 68 is provided in thebell crank and adapted to engagel brackets 69 and 71 which may besecured to any suitable portion of the frame of a knitting machine, andpreferably at a point that will facilitate the i engagement of the pin68 by one of the brackets 69 or 71 justprior to the end of eachreciprocating movement of the slide 17, so that at the end of eachreciprocation the pin 68 will be engaged and will oscillate the cam 42,raising first one cam portion and then A screw providing a pivot forther the other out of operative position. By Inoving the slide 56 to theright (Fig. 3), the bracket 59 secured to the cam 42 is wedged upward bythe cam portion 57 and the brack-` et 61 is permitted to lower by thecam portion 58y to a top horizontal surface 72 of the slide 56, at whichtime the bracket 59 will be disposed on the top horizontal surface ofthe cam portion 57. It will be noted that this is a reversal of theposition shown in Fig. 3,v

and that a reversalv of the slide brings the cam 42 back to the positionshown. Thecam portions 55 are each provided with a projection 73 and arecess 74 opposite the projection (Fig. 4) for effecting knittingmovement of cillated so that the right hand cam portion` 55 is raisedout of operative nib-engaging position and the left hand cam portion 55is lowered into nib-engaging position so that a cam surface 75 of thecam 41 first engages the forward nibs of the needle jacksand ingposition.

the nibs of the needle acks into position for engagement with a surface77 of the left hand cam portion 55 of the pivot cam 42. This camportion, by means of the projection 73 and recess 74, then effects theknitting moveyment and. passes from engagement with the nibs, leavingthem in position to be engaged by the cam 4 1 upon its return stroke,when a similar operation is performed, except that the cam portion 55,to the right in Fig. 5, effects the knitting movement, the pivot cam lhaving again been oscillated so that the cam -portion tothe left is inraised position and does notv affect the jacks. By this arrangement, allunnecessary movements of the needle jacks and theY resulting yarnstrains are eliminated, as well as unnecessary wear of the 95 -bringsthe needles forward into yarn-receiv- Y A cam surface 76 next engagesyvthe rearward nibs of the needle jacks to retract the needle with theyarn and brings,

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parts. A lighter yarn may be used which produce a ceiving position andthen to retract the nee- Iclaim: .Y v 1. In a knitting machine, thecombination of a needle bed Vhaving knitting needles vmountedrthe'rein,jacks. for operating said needles,a cam for'projecting and retractingsaidjacks, and a follower camforeecting knitting movement of said needlejacks.

2. y In Va knitting machine,-the combination I of a needle bed havingknitting needles mounted therein, jacks for operating said needles,a camforprojecting and retracting said'jacks, ,and a follower camrfor eectingknitting movement of said needle jacks, said cams being secured togetherand adapted to reciprocate across the needle bed.

3. In a knitting machine, the combination ofr a needle bied havingknitting needles and jacks vfor controlling said needles -mounteddleswith 'the' yarn a predetermined distance,

i and a pivoted knitting Acamfor engaging the jacks to eect knitting-movement of said needles, said cams being mounted on areciproclatin'gYslide member and arranged to -engage the needle jacks'successiveljfduring the "reciprocating yof the slide member, saidzpivoted cam havingcam surfaces adapted alternately Ato have jack-engaging 'position'during successive reciprocations of said slide.

f of aneedle bed having knitting needles and Y s ting Position, and@ `irv0ted knitting Cam" :When'in knitting'position to eifectknitting 5. Ina. knitting machine, the combination jacks for controlling saidV needlesmounted therein, areciprocating cam for engaging said jacks toprojectthe needles 'to yarn relceivingy position and tothen retract theneedles with thel yarn toa predetermined knithavingjsurfaces adapteditoengage thejacks movement of said needles, said cams being se- Vcuredltoa v'reciprocating memberV in overlapping relation to facilitatecontinuousrmovementof the jacks in passingtherethroughf jacks forcontrollingsaid needles mounted .Y Qtherein, a reciprocating cam slide,av cam se- V'i 60 i cured to said reciprocating-cam slide Vfor en-@ga-ging said jacks toprojectl the needles to ya l:yarn-re'ceivingposition and to then retract tlie'ne'edles Lwith the yarn to apredetermined vr`knitting position, and a follower cam pivv oted tofsaidreciprocatingcam'slide and hav- .I 6. Ina knitting 'machine,- theconibination Y 'ofaneedle bed having knittingA needles and ing'jack-'engaging portions alternately disposable in jack-engagingposition during successive reciprocations of said slide,said

portions being disposed adjacent oppositef ends ofsaid needle-projectingand retracting. cam to effect knitting movementof the needles when in jack-engaging position.

7 In a knitting machine, the combination of a' needle bed havingknitting needles and jacks for, controlling said needles mountedtherein, a reciprocating cam slide, a cam secured to said reciprocatingcam slide for engaging said jacks to project the needles to receiveyarn-and to retract the needles with the yarn to a predeterminedknitting position, and a follower cainpivoted to said reciprocating.camxslide and having portions arranged to engage the needlejacksalternately Y said first-mentioned cam to knitting position. 8. In aknittingmachine, the combination of a needle bed having knittingVneedlesandV jacks for controlling said needles-mounted therein, areciprocating-cam slide, a cam secured to saidreciprocating cam sildeand arranged to actuate said jacks successively during a reciprocationof a slidey in 'either directionin order to projectV the needles toVyarn- Areceiving position and to retract the needles with the yarn apredetermined distance to a lknitting position, and a yfollowercampivoted to said reciprocating cam slide and having portions adapted toengage said jacks after saidv first mentioned cam has retracted Vatopposite Vends of said first mentioned cam for-.effecting knittingmovement of theV needlesrwheni the same have been retracted byV saidAneedles when the Vcam is traveling in eitherV direction in orderto-eifectjknitting movement of the needles, said first mentioned camandsaid follower foam together being adapted to effect continuous movementVof the.

passing therethrough in knitting jacks in either direction.

9. In a knitting machine', the combination of a'needle bed havingknitting needlespand jacksffor controlling Vsaid needles mountedtherein, a reciprocating lcam slide, a Vcam secured to saidreciprocating Vcainslide for engagngs'aid jacksztofproject'theneedleslito receive yarn andy to retract .the needles Vwith the yarn apredetermined distance, a--vfollowl i yer cam pivoted to 'saidvreciprocating 'cam vslide: and having Vportions arranged to'enga'geYYythe needle jacks ateither end'of said first Y' mentionedff'cam -toeffect knitting movementV of the needles, and means forcontrollingsaidfollower Acam. Y Y

l0. In a knittingV machin-e', thefcombina tion of a needle bed havingknitting needles v125 f Ved therein, a vreciprocating camslide, a camsecured to said reciprocating cami slideV for and Vj acksfor controllinglsaidj needles mountengaging said jacks yto project the needles toreceive yarnV and to retract the needles with the yarn apredetermineddistance, a follower cam pivoted to said reciprocating cam slide forengaging the needle jacks at either end of said first mentioned cam foreffecting knitting movement of the needles, said follower cam having ajack engaging portion at each end, either of which may be disposed'injack engagingl position, and means for actuating said follower cam todispose said jack-engaging portions alternately in jack-engagingposition during successive reciprocations of said cam slide.

11. In a knitting machine, the combinati on of a needle bed havingknitting needles and jacks for controlling said needles mounted therein,a reciprocating cam slide, a cam secured to said reciprocating cam slide`for engaging said jacks to project the needles to receive yarn and toretract the needles with the yarn a predetermined distance, a followercam pivoted to said reciprocating cam slide for engaging the needle acksat either end of said iirst mentioned cam for eecting knitting movementof the needles, said follower cam having a `jack engaging portion ateach end, a reciprocating wedge member for controlling said follower camto dispose the jack engaging portions in jack-engaging positions.

12. In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle bed havingknitting needles and jacks for cont-rolling said needles mountedtherein, a reciprocating cam slide, a cam securedto said reciprocatingcam slide for engaging said jacks to project the needles to receive yarnand to retract the needles with the yarn a predetermined distance, afollower cam pivoted to said reciprocating cam slide for engaging theneedle jacks at either end of said first mentioned cam for effectingknitting movement of the needles, said. follower cam having a jackengaging portion at each end, either of which may be disposed in jackengaging position, and means for controlling said follower cam to engagethe jacks at either end of said rst mentioned cam, said meanscomprising, a slide having wedge portions engaging said follower cam oneither side of the pivot thereof, and means for actuating said slide. f

13. In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle bed havingknitting needles and jacks for controlling said needles mounted therein,a reciprocating cam slide, a cam secured to said reciprocating cam slidefor engaging said acks to project the needles to receive yarn and toretract the needles with the yarn a predetermined distance, a followercam pivoted to said reciprocating cam slide for engaging the needlejacks at either end of said first mentioned cam for effecting knittingmovement of the needles, said follower cam having a jack engagingportion at each end, adapted for disposal in jack engaging position, andmeans for controlling said follower cam to dispose said cam alternatelyin jack-engaging position opposite the ends of said first mentioned cam,said`r means, comprising, a `slide having wedger portions engaging saidfollower cam on either` side of the pivot thereof to move saidfollowercam to bring either end thereof intov jack engaging position andlock the follower cam in said position, and means for actuating saidslide. I f

14; In a knitting machine, thecombinationy of a needle bed havingknitting needles and jacks for controlling said needlesmounted therein,a reciprocating cam slide, a cam secured-to said reciprocating cam slidefor engagingsaid jacks to project the needles to av yarn receivingposition and to retract the needles with the yarn to a predetermineddistance knitting position, a follower cam pivoted to said reciprocatingcam slide for engaging the needle acks at either end of said iirstmentioned cam for effecting knitting movement of the needles, saidfollower cam having a jack engaging portion at each end, either of whichmay be disposed in jack engaging position, and means for controllingsaid follower cam to engage the jacks' ateither end of said firstmentioned cam, said means,

comprising, a slide mounted on said reciproeating cam slide and havingwedge portions engaging said follower cam on either'side `thereof andarranged to move either end of said follower cam into jack engagingposition and lock the follower cam in said position, and means mountedon said cam slide for actuating said slide and adapted to engage abracket secured to the knitting machine frame.

15. In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle bed, knittingneedles mounted in said bed, jacks for operating said needles arrangedin said bed, a cam for projecting and retracting said jacks, and apivoted knitting cam having surfaces disposable in cam-engaging positionadjacent opposite ends of said jack actuating cam for effecting knittingmovement of said needle jacks, said cams being secured upon a slide andadapted 1 1 to reciprocate across the needle bed, whereby said pivotedcam is made operable on alternate strokes of said slide.

16. In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle bed havingknitting needles and jacks for controlling said knitting needles mountedtherein, a reciprocating cam for actuating said jacks to project theneedles to yarn-receiving position and then to retract the needles withthe yarn to a predetermined knitting position, and a pivotedknitting'cam for engaging the jacks in said knitting'position, said camsbeing mounted' upon a slide and adapted to reciprocate across the needlebed, said pivoted cam having portions alternately disposable in jack-engaging position during alternating reciprocation of said slide.17. In a knitting machine, the combination' hede bed, "km-,iig needie's*maf jacksvfor controlling said needles mountedin/ salid needle bed,reciprocating cam for ac-k tuaban-Said wks,4 to project Said memes to"a'yarnfreoevng position Yend thence to kreto a predetermined knit-ytractl said needles ting 'positon, a;n pvotedvkntting @aunv for ensa'dcams beingfmounted upon apivot Inem-v A ber; carried by? areoiprooatng,v slide, Vsaid f jengagng'postron, andmeans for depressinglsand pwot.'Ilfnenroer.toV bung sald cams lnto jack-engaging positionduring ayreoiprooatonofsad S1dejV Y i Y. o QWILSQN WVBURSON. K

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